Lessons in the Small Catechism of Dr. Martin Luther For the Senior Department of Lutheran Sunday-Schools and for General Use · George Mezger
LESSON 35.
The Third Article. The Holy Christian Church. Which is the Third Article? _I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy Christian Church, the communion of saints._ What does this mean? _I believe that ... the Holy Ghost has called me, ... even as He calls, gathers, enlightens, and sanctifies the whole Christian Church on earth and keeps it with Jesus Christ in the one true faith._ 1. God the Holy Ghost has called me to Christ, sanctified me, and kept me in the true faith. The Holy Ghost, however, has performed this work of His grace _not only on me._ Besides me He has called, and still calls, many poor lost sinners to Christ, enlightens them with His precious gifts, with faith in their Savior. All these the Holy Ghost also _"gathers,"_ as our Catechism states. The Holy Ghost does not suffer those who have been converted by the Gospel to _be separate,_ but adds them to His disciples, as on that first Pentecost all those were added to the congregation of the disciples who had been converted by Peter's sermon. Acts 2,41. All true believers are Christ's own; through faith in Him they are closely united as brethren and sisters in the one Lord. _All true believers, taken together are the holy Christian Church on earth, which the Holy Ghost sanctifies and keeps in the one true faith._
2. The Third Article calls the Christian Church _the communion of saints._ It is a communion, a congregation, of _saints,_ that is, of _holy people._ They are not holy in themselves, but the Holy Ghost has sanctified them, or made them holy, through faith in Christ. In Christ they have _forgiveness of all their sins_ and are holy in the eyes of God. _Only true believers in Christ therefore belong to the Christian Church; only they, but all of them._ Instead of the communion of saints we might also say _the communion of true believers._--The Church is the communion of saints. All believers in Christ are a _communion,_ a _congregation;_ they form, as it were, one _body._ They do not all live together at one place, in one city, or in the same country,--we find them scattered over all the earth,--but they are _closely bound together by one and the same faith in Christ._ They belong to one family, of which Christ is the Head and Master, and all are members. _The Church is the communion of saints; for believers only, but all believers, are members of it._
3. We _believe_ that the holy Christian Church is here on earth, but we do not _see_ it; it is invisible. Only true believers belong to the Church, and no man can look into another's heart and see his _faith._ Only One really knows who the members of the Church are. _"The Lord knoweth them that are His."_ 2 Tim. 2,19. We cannot see the Church, but _we believe that it is here on earth;_ for holy Scripture assures us that the Holy Ghost by the Gospel at all times calls men to Christ and keeps them in the true faith to the end of the world. Our Lord says: _"Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."_ Matt. 16,18.--The Church is _holy_ because all its members are _holy by faith in Christ_ and in the strength of the Holy Ghost _lead a godly life_ and serve their Lord in His kingdom in righteousness.--It is called the _Christian_ Church because it is built on _Christ. "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."_ 1 Cor. 3,11. And He is not only its Foundation, but also _the Head and King of the Church._ 4. We do not see the Church, _but we know where it is, where we can find it._ The Holy Ghost calls and keeps the Church only _by the Gospel._ God has promised us that, where His Gospel is preached, it shall not remain _without fruit;_ some of those who hear it will come to Christ and believe in Him. _Wherever the Word of God is preached, and only where it is in use, the holy Christian Church is to be found._
5. Scripture also speaks of a _visible_ Church, of visible congregations of Christians. A visible Church is the number of all those who call themselves Christians, who _profess their faith in Christ and are gathered about God's Word._ In these visible congregations there are not only true believers, but also _hypocrites,_ who indeed confess the Christian faith, but do not believe in their Savior. Among the visible churches there are _many false churches and one true visible Church._ The true visible Church teaches and confesses the Word of God _in all its purity, without false doctrines. This true visible Church is the Evangelical Lutheran Church._ To this Church we ought to belong, and to no other; for our Lord says: _"If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth; and the truth shall make you free."_ John 8, 31.32. _"Beware of false prophets!"_ Matt. 7,15. 1. _Let it be your earnest concern to be and remain a member of the invisible Church of Christ; remain steadfast in the true faith. He that believes, and He only, shall be saved._ 2. _Let it also be your earnest concern to belong to the true visible Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church. In this Church the pure Word is preached, the Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation. Avoid all false churches. "Beware of false prophets!"_
3. _Pray and work with all diligence for your Church that it may be maintained and extended._ Matt. 28,19. _The Lord knoweth them that are His._ 2 Tim. 2,19. _Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build My Church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it._ Matt. 16,18. _Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ._ 1 Cor. 3,11. _If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth; and the truth shall make you free._ John 8,31.32.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.